Functional polyolefins with high reactivity and high stability for various multi-component formulations such as composites, adhesives, and tires are always challenging. Functional polyolefins with complex architectures are critical in performance enhancement and rheological properties for some applications, which adds another layer of difficulty in efficient and economic synthesis/process. Such functional polymers have a particularly desirable use in dispersing agents for inorganic particles within polymer matrices, and as processing agents for difficult to process polymers.
It is desirable to add fillers to polymer compositions to improve properties such as heat distortion temperatures, dimensional stability, and stiffness. However, this presents some problems. First, many fillers are not compatible with polymers, especially polyolefin polymers which tend to be highly non-polar. A further problem is that there is an increasing desire to use nanoparticles (less than 0.1 μm in one dimension) to improve the performance of thin films and micro and nano-fibers made from polyolefins. Such nanoparticles have very high surface areas so they disperse even more poorly than larger particles.
Dispersing polar nanofillers in non-polar polyolefins has always been challenging. Despite the theoretical promises of having a polyolefin nanocomposite with nano-dispersed silica clusters for enhancements in mechanical stiffness, strength, rheological melt strength, shear thinning, and in thermal heat distortion resistance, there are currently no polyolefin-silica nanocomposites commercially available. Prior disclosures have demonstrated that polyolefins can form structures with aminosilanes for improved silica dispersion in polymer blends, and for forming hydrophilic compositions for such applications as corrosion resistant coatings. What is needed is a way to thoroughly disperse polar nanoparticles such as silica into a polyolefin (e.g., polyethylene and/or polypropylene) matrix. In particular, what is needed is a method to effect or “control” condensation by aminosilane species to form complex hydrophilic-hydrophobic materials. The present invention(s) is directed to such an end.
Related disclosures include U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,840,996; 8,669,326; 8,816,027; 8,623,974; US 2014/088264; US 2014/275433; U.S. Pat. No. 8,372,930; US 2013/0197180; U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,835,563; 8,501,894; US 2011/0178233; US 2013/0296471; WO 2004/024800; WO 2013/041151; WO 2015/023382; WO 2009/155517; WO 2009/155510; WO 2009/155471; WO 2009/155472; WO 2014/052200; WO 2012/134717; Gelest Inc., “Silane Coupling Agents: Connecting Across Boundaries” (2006); and S. B. Herzon et al., “Hydroaminoalkylation of Unactivated Olefins with Dialkylamines,” in 130, J. AM. CHEM. SOC., pp. 14940-14941 (2008).